An estimated 50 to 60% of children from typical families develop secure attachment relationships with their parents (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978; Van IJzendoorn & Kroonenberg, 1988); however, intervention research has focused primarily on interventions for high-risk clinical samples (Berlin, Zeanah, & Lieberman, 2008). In this project,…

This article describes the effect of a province-wide vision of evidence-based and outcome-based services for children and youth and the challenges of implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) and evidence-based treatment (EBT) approaches within group care settings. The paper is based on the results of a survey of group care settings in the…

Children of color are overrepresented in child welfare in Iowa at a rate double their percentage of the population. In 2005 the Iowa Department of Human Services implemented two pilot demonstration projects to address overrepresentation of Native American and African American children in the child welfare system. The projects, called the Minority…

Although the methamphetamine epidemic in the United States has caught the attention of law enforcement and the media, the needs of the children living in so-called "meth homes" have not yet been addressed. These children are endangered from not only the chemicals involved, but also parental abuse and/or neglect. Little is known, however,…

Compares rationales and outcome research for five areas of programming for maltreated and other at-risk adolescents: adolescent competence and skills development programs, family- and parent-focused programs, social integration programs, multiple component programs, and neighborhood transformation programs. Finds that several program models have…

Analyzes data from three recent studies and identifies three models of family-centered programs: crisis intervention programs; home-based programs; and family treatment programs. Discusses the models' similarities and differences and lays the groundwork for further definitive research. (NH)

Some of the key outcome measures used in the first federal Child and Family Service Reviews rely on retrospective cohorts and exclude key portions of the population from the analysis. Most discussions of this issue have focused on the extent to which retrospective measurement is a valid basis on which to judge states' performance (Courtney,…

Describes the Fresno Amicus Program, a program of volunteer, court-appointed advocates who assist in cases of abuse and neglect involving minority families. Also describes an outcome study of the program. In the amicus group, significantly fewer children were placed in long-term foster care than in the comparison group. Significantly more children…

Presents findings of a World Rehabilitation Fund Fellowship study on the intersection of child abuse, family support, and disability in England. These findings are then compared to the American picture in this arena. Implications for new directions are delineated. (Author/BB)

Presents a case study of the development of kinship care policy in Illinois due to court decisions regarding the provision of financial support to relatives acting as foster parents. Compares recent reform of kinship care policies in Illinois with welfare reform efforts across the country and their national implications. (SD)

A study of outcomes of child protection services for children and families in Oregon investigated the congruence between parental reports and data from case records, services parents perceived to be most helpful, and the capacity of protection services for future protection. (BB)

This study assessed the utility of the Child Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI) in a child welfare sample. In this study, 97 children from ages 10 to 12 from either foster boarding homes or a residential treatment center participated. Researchers interviewed foster parents or primary therapists about children's sexual behavior, traumatic events,…

Evaluated over 6 years a comprehensive treatment program for abusive families in Spain. Findings were similar to those obtained for similar programs in the United States and other developed countries. Lowest success rates were found for neglectful and abusive-neglectful families. Dropout and nondropout families differed in presence of alcohol…

This analysis of the educational effectiveness of four types of preschool day care institutions--free day care centers, free nursery schools, private day care centers and private nursery schools--concludes that free day care centers are the most educationally effective. (Editor)

Compared a professional foster-care program and two specialized programs in Cook County, Illinois, with kinship and nonrelative-family foster homes. Found that professional and kinship foster care consistently outperformed specialized and nonrelative care in stability, sibling placement, care restrictiveness, and proximity to child's community of…